Sitkans to vote on cruise limits in special election

Enough signatures have been gathered to put a cruise limit ballot out to Sitka voters in a special election this spring.

If approved by the voters, the ordinance would set an annual cap of 300,000 cruise passengers, a daily cap of 4,500 passengers, and limit port calls to six days a week. It would also require permits for cruise ships and require the city to administer permits and fine cruise ships for violating the new rules.

Municipal Clerk Sara Peterson said her office certified the petition on Thursday afternoon. The city’s charter says that if enough signatures are gathered, a special election must be called within 40 to 90 days.

“So the 40- to 90-day clock starts as of yesterday,” she said. “In order to have that special election according to the charter, 613 valid signatures were required, and they did get more than 613.”


https://www.kcaw.org/2025/03/14/sitkans-to-vote-on-cruise-limits-in-special-election/